Re: Texas has some weird alcohol laws; how about your state?

Re: Texas has some weird alcohol laws; how about your state?

Indiana has some odd laws. Number one is; no retail sales on Sunday. You can buy all the drinks you want from a restaurant or bar that sells food on Sunday. My brother in law told me about a bar in Bloomington that has a Hot Pocket in their freezer. It's a $40 item on the menu in a dive. It allows them to be open on Sunday Liquor stores and some bars sell cold beer to go. Grocery stores and drug stores sell beer, but can't sell it cold. Somehow, some grocery stores sell cold wine. Liquor stores are not allowed to sell cold soft drinks. Most liquor stores have a soda pop machine outside by their front door.
Has anyone ever challenged the Sunday laws as unconstitutional? It seems like the government establishing an official religion. On the other hand, if they won't allow liquor sales, how can they allow tobacco and lottery on Sunday?

Re: Texas has some weird alcohol laws; how about your state?

Originally Posted by PaulO

Indiana has some odd laws. Number one is; no retail sales on Sunday. You can buy all the drinks you want from a restaurant or bar that sells food on Sunday. My brother in law told me about a bar in Bloomington that has a Hot Pocket in their freezer. It's a $40 item on the menu in a dive. It allows them to be open on Sunday Liquor stores and some bars sell cold beer to go. Grocery stores and drug stores sell beer, but can't sell it cold. Somehow, some grocery stores sell cold wine. Liquor stores are not allowed to sell cold soft drinks. Most liquor stores have a soda pop machine outside by their front door.
Has anyone ever challenged the Sunday laws as unconstitutional? It seems like the government establishing an official religion. On the other hand, if they won't allow liquor sales, how can they allow tobacco and lottery on Sunday?

I think it is unconstitutional, and I say this as a former Baptist minister, but as my law professor said: "Everything is legal until there is a plaintiff."

Re: Texas has some weird alcohol laws; how about your state?

I can't think of anything else that can't be sold one day a week. I guess it iritates me when I visit friends or family in other towns, and all the stores I would like to visit are closed, because it's Sunday. I'm talking about places that have much better selection than what I have nearby. If a business chooses to be closed on Sunday (on their own) that doesn't bother me at all.

Re: Texas has some weird alcohol laws; how about your state?

Originally Posted by Old Dusty

No Sunday sales in Indiana. Liquor stores are closed and the big boxes/CVS etc cant sell. Most either rope off their alcohol aisles or post signs. Exceptions for restaurants bars wineries and brewpubs.

Used to live in S. Chicago suburbs. Illinois didn't sell booze on Sundays till noon. Around 11:45 I would get the call from my Highland, IN friends basically stating "You know what day it is". I did volenteer work at Mammoth Cave National Park in KY. Still many dry counties down there. Mammoth Cave NP was in one of them. Nearest liquors store was 40 miles away in Bowling Green. Made that drive many times. In Colorado liquor stores couldn't be open on Sundays until a few years ago. Convenience and grocery stores only sell 3.2 and no wine or spirits. A person, or company, can only have one liquor license. California, for being the backward ass libby state it is, seem to be the most normal to me. I was surprised to walk down the whiskey, wine and beer isle when I was out there.

Re: Texas has some weird alcohol laws; how about your state?

Originally Posted by PaulO

Has anyone ever challenged the Sunday laws as unconstitutional? It seems like the government establishing an official religion. On the other hand, if they won't allow liquor sales, how can they allow tobacco and lottery on Sunday?

The courts have consistently found these sorts of laws as constitutional under the 21st Amendment.

John B

"Drinking when we are not thirsty and making love at all seasons… that is all there is to distinguish us from other animals."